MARSHALL, Minn. – Freshman Ryan Chmielewski fired a seven-inning complete game four-hitter with a career-high 11 strikeouts to pace Southwest Minnesota State to a 7-2 victory over Minnesota Crookston in game one of an NSIC baseball doubleheader on Saturday night at Legion Field.
 
UMC, behind a strong pitching performance by Alex Koep, salvaged the split earning a 12-2 eight-inning win in game two.
 
The two teams conclude the series on Sunday starting at 12 p.m.
 
Chmielewski (3-5) did not allow an earned run and walked just two batters while tossing 121 pitches, including 76 for strikes.
 
SMSU cracked out 10 hits in the opener with Chase McDaniel going 3 for 3 with a run scored, while Robbie Smith had two hits, including his first career home run. The victory snapped SMSU's 14-game losing skid.
 
UMC took advantage of an SMSU throwing error in the top of the first to score a pair of unearned runs on a 2-run homer from Ben Thoma.
 
SMSU cut the deficit in half in the third as Smith belted his first career home run over the left field fence.
 
The Mustangs broke free in one of their biggest innings in weeks to take the lead in the fourth. Jaxon Haase started the inning with an 11-pitch walk. Moments later, Nick Brown blasted a 2-run homer to right field for his first career long-ball. SMSU wasn't finished in the frame as McDaniel hit a one-out single and moved to third as Max Kalenberg reached on an error. Andy Andresen followed with a 2-run double to extend the lead to 5-2. The final run of the inning came across on a Keenan Wenzel infield single to plate Andresen and make the score 6-2.
 
SMSU added to the lead in the fifth as Owen Latendresse was hit by a pitch with one out and moved to third on a single by McDaniel. Kalenberg followed with a single through the right side to plate Latendresse and give the Mustangs a 7-2 advantage through five innings.
 
UMC put together a scoring threat in the sixth with two straight singles to open the frame. After a ground out and a strikeout, UMC loaded the bases with a walk, but Chmielewski struck out his 10^th batter of the game to end the rally. He then worked a perfect seventh inning to secure the victory.
 
In game two, UMC (15-22, 7-11 NSIC) racked up 14 hits and took advantage of seven walks and six hit by pitches by Mustang pitching. Koep was in control all night long firing seven innings with nine strikeouts and allowing just three hits. He retired 14 of final 15 batters he faced from the third through seventh inning. He finished tossing 102 pitches with 66 for strikes.
 
UMC opened the scoring in the second inning taking advantage of two walks and two hit by pitches to take a 1-0 lead.
 
SMSU (9-24, 2-19 NSIC) tied the game in the third as Andresen reached on a one-out infield single. A walk to Robbie Smith and a wild pitch put runners in scoring position before Wenzel lofted a sac fly to right field to score Andresen and tie the game at 1-1 after three.  
 
The Golden Eagles went back in front with a big fifth inning started by a one-out solo homer by Jake Hjelle. UMC would later take advantage of a fielding error, an RBI double, hit by pitch, a walk and two wild pitches to plate two more and build a 4-1 lead.  
 
The lead moved to 7-1 in the sixth behind three more hits, a walk, a balk and a hit batter. UMC would blow the game open with a five-run eighth.
 
SMSU scored a run in the bottom of the eighth as Peyton Nash hit a pinch-hit double and later scored on a run-scoring single by Smith.
 
The Mustangs closed game two with six hits with Smith collecting two, while Haase, Nash, Isaac Nett and Andresen each had one.
 
Kolby Kiser started on the mound for SMSU and lasted 1 2/3 innings allowing one hit, three walks and one hit batter, while striking out two.
 
Kobe Lovell (1-1) suffered the loss tossing 2 2/3 innings and allowing four hits, three runs (two earned) with four strikeouts.